Expanded History:
Television on channel 7 begins in 1950, when Times World and the Polan Bros. of Huntington both applied for channel 7. Soon, the Polan Bros. instead filed a competing application for channel 10. The first station in the Roanoke valley, WROV-TV, went dark after only three months. Radio Roanoke (owner of WROV-AM 1240 and WROV-FM 103.7) filed a competing application for channel 7. Eventually, it was resolved with an agreement that Times World (owner of WDBJ-AM 960 and WDBJ-FM 94.9) would buy the UHF equipment of the now-dark WROV-TV, and in exchange Radio Roanoke would withdraw their application.
10/03/1955: WDBJ-7 signed on from Mill Mountain with studios in the Mountain Trust Bank Building.
--/--/1957: WDBJ-7 moved to a transmitter on Poor Mountain.
--/--/1969: WDBJ-7 was purchased by Schurz Communications.
04/20/2002: WDBJ-7 moved to studios in its new "Digital Broadcast Center" on Hershberger Road.
04/30/2002: WDBJ-DT signed on with a full-powered signal.
--/--/2004: WDBJ became the first in the market to invest in high-definition recording equipment. This allowed them to air a selection of movies from Paramount in high-definition.
09/05/2006: WDBJ-DT 7-2 "Seven Too" joined My Network TV.
09/11/2006: WDBJ-DT began carrying Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy in HD, the first HD syndicated programming in the market.
12/19/2006: WDBJ-DT 7-3 "Hometown Weather Channel" was discontinued.04/22/2008, 5:00PM: WDBJ began HD newscasts.

Expanded History:
Television on channel 10 begins in 1950, when Shenandoah Life Insurance (owners of WSLS-AM 610 and WSLS-FM 99.1) applied for the frequency. Soon, Polan withdrew their application for channel 7 and instead went after channel 10. In time, they withdrew and WSLS went on the air December 11, 1952.

Expanded History:
Lynchburg broadcasting, owner of WLVA (590AM) received a construction permit for channel 13 in Lynchburg and signed on February 8, 1953.--//1960's: ABC's Charles Gibson got his start at WSET.--/--/1977: WLVA-TV changed calls to WSET-TV as part of its reimaging as "NeWSET-13"09/04/2003: WSET-DT signed on with the ABC-HD Test Loop and Thurday Night football game.09/04/2003: WSET-DT began regular broadcasts at 17.9 kW.06/29/2005: WSET-DT boosted power to 200 kW.02/24/2008: WSET-DT 13-2 began airing RTN.

Expanded History:
Signed on as NET in August of 1967.--/--/1969: NET switched to PBS.05/01/2003: WBRA-DT signed on with no PSIP, leaving most without audio.10/27/2003: WBRA-DT began transmitting PSIP.12/09/2003: WBRA-DT began 24/7 PBS-HD on 15-5.05/06/2004: WBRA-DT added PBS You on 15-2.

Expanded History:
Signed on as Independent WJPR in 1984.--/--/1986: WJPR switched from Independent to Fox.--/--/1992: Grant Media bought struggling WVFT-27 and began a simulcast of Fox as "Fox 21/27".10/--/2001: WJPR was slated to become WBVA, WB21, but plans fell through.04/--/2002: WJPR-DT signed on as WB "WBVA-5." (No Fox programming)Late-/2002: Moved WB from 21-1 to 21-3; put Fox "Fox 21/27" on 21-1.01/19/2005: WJPR-DT began airing HD Fox programming on 21-1 with WB on 21-2.09/18/2006: The WBVA subchannel changed from WB "WBVA-5" to CW "The CW 5."10/13/2006: WWCW-DT began airing HD Fox programming on 21-2 with Fox in SD on 21-1.

Expanded History:
History on channel 24 in Danville started in the early-1950's as ABC WBTM.Mid-1950's: WBTM went silent.1960's: WBTM worked out a deal to become a hybrid educational/commercial station, however the FCC would not approve it. (see KMOU in Missouri for a similar situation) WBTM remained silent.05/--/1995: WDRG-TV signed on as WB primarily targetting Greensboro.Mid-1990's: Switched from WDRG as WB for Greensboro to WDRL as UPN for Roanoke.06/--/2003: WDRL-DT signed on at low power from the analog tower site.05/--/2006: WDRL-DT signed on from its new location at Smith Mountain.09/18/2006: WDRL became Independent "DRL-24."12/13/2008: WDRL-DT relocated from channel 41 to channel 24.07/--/2010: WDRL enters receivership and goes silent.

Expanded History:
Signed on as WROV-TV in 1953.--/--/1953: WROV-TV signed off.--/--/1965: WRFT-TV signed on as ABC.--/--/1975: WRFT-TV signed off.--/--/1984: WVFT-TV signed on as Independent.--/--1992: Grant Media bought WVFT and paired it up with WJPR as WFXR "Fox 21/27."10/02/2003: WFXR-DT signed on at very low power with dead air.02/25/2004: WFXR-DT began airing programming.01/19/2005: WFXR-DT began airing HD Fox programming on 27-1 with WB on 27-2.09/18/2006: WFXR-DT 27-2 changed from WB "WB5" to CW "The CW 5."

Expanded History:
Signed on in August 1986 as Religious WEFC, owned by the Evangelical Foursquare Church.01/13/1998: Switched to INTV Infomercials as WPXR.08/31/1998: Switched from INTV Infomercials to PAX.04/30/2002: WPXR-DT signed on at full power with a 3-hour per day schedule.06/27/2004: WPXR-DT began multicasting four digital services.

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any station, ownership group, network, or other entity noted on RabbitEars at any time and for any reason.

"Cruising in primetime, soaking up the cathode rays...!" - Rush "Between the Wheels"